Macquarie Group state leader for professional services Sarah Petzel has been made insurance segment head following the departure of Andrew Knowles to Austbrokers Countrywide.

Ms Petzel joined the financial services company in 2008 as credit risk analyst. She later became senior relationship manager before taking up the state leader role in 2021, according to her LinkedIn.

She brings “extensive experience across insurance broking and underwriting agencies”, Macquarie Bank executive director Grant Robson says.

“Having started as a relationship manager specialising in the industry before successfully leading our professional services team across NSW/ACT, she brings the perfect blend of sector knowledge and deep relationships to lead the team.

“Under Sarah’s leadership, and supported by our national team of dedicated, insurance-focused bankers, our clients will continue to benefit from deep industry knowledge and local market understanding.”